The Cedar Key Arts Center announces Jessica Rothbard as its selection of coordinator for its summer art program.

Rothbard, a degreed art teacher, will be heading up a team of volunteers to make the summer art program a success. The fundraiser at the Community Center was the site of approximately 100 local citizens who dined and participated in a silent auction and raffle to further the aims of the Cedar Key Art Center. Many thanks to all who participated.

The annual Art & Craft event for members of the Cedar Key Woman’s Club was on Jan. 28 and an outstanding variety of arts and crafts were presented to be judged by local talented artists including Libby Cagle, Amy Gernhardt and Ann Kamzelski.

During the winter holidays, our eyes are drawn to native plants that shimmer reds and greens of the season. Beauties like Florida holly, with its waxy deep green leaves and bright red berries; yaupon holly, with its small waxy leaves and small red berries; and the more delicate Christmas berry with red and green as well as a tiny lavender flower, are all our friends.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Cedar Key Scrub State Reserve will sponsor a free, guided hike on New Years Day as part of America’s State Parks First Day Hikes initiative in all 50 states.

If you like gardening, like talking about gardening, want to learn more about gardening in Florida and also to help others plan and grow great gardens, then you might want to consider signing up for the Florida Master Gardener program.

Recently, Cedar Key Arts Center members partnered with the Friends of the Lower Suwannee Refuge and took a trip to Seahorse Key with Dr. Jennifer Seavey to tour the laboratory and the Seahorse lighthouse, as well as the coastline and beaches of Seahorse Key. A few brave souls stayed overnight to continue talks on herpetology and ecology of this area.

Cedar Key Arts Center announced a new addition to its sculpture garden, a leaping dolphin, created by Patrick McGee. McGee casts hollow cement sculptures and covers them with a patina to resemble bronze or copper. The resulting sculpture is affordable. The pieces will be on display, and in cooperation with the Cedar Key Arts center, a portion of sales will be donated to the center.